Secrets of a Father
by GuardianSoulBlade
Summary: Beast Boy's father Mark Logan is a genetic scientist. But what if he was more than that? What if he was known as Logan, the X Man known as Wolverine...And what if he never died in the boating accident? What would happen?
1. Prologue: Who I was

**Secrets of a Father**

_Prologue: Who I was_

My name is Logan, but my wife calls me Mark Logan. I was once an X-Man, but I am no longer. I'm no hero nor a saint. I retired from saving the world so I could start over. No one knows my secret, not even my wife. I have a son, his name is Gar. I gave up my life to become a genetic scientist. No one knows who I am, not even me, for my life is a puzzle of missing peices.

They don't know about Xavier, or Jean or anything about the School for the gifted. They know very little about my life because I know very little about it. I still try to pick up the peices, but only in secret do I contact Xavier. My life is happy, I have everything I ever wanted. A wife, a son, and a career. They live in the sweet ignorance of not knowing who I am or what I've done. They know nothing of Stryker, weapon X or Magneto. It's right that they shouldn't know, what they don't know won't hurt them. Still, some things never die. And I have the feeling I'm needed again.

But how to tell my son I'm a mutant like he is; that's difficult. What will I do? I can't keep it from him forever. He'll fiind out sooner or later. Oh, so many decisions! And consequences...I really need to contact the Professor. He' know what I should do. But not yet, I'm not quite ready. To call on my old friend would raise some eyebrows. And suspicions. To reveal my identity now would be dangerous. There's Mobu, the witch doctor, I don't like him. He hates my son already becuase of the gift I gave him, his gifted superpowers. He puts me on an edge, that guy. I'm going to watch my back around him. King Tawaba, he's a good man, but still, he wouldn't understand what we go through. Better to keep quiet and stay safe.

My wofe sits on a porch, quietly talking to our son, something's bothering him. I don't know what it is, but I'll find ut. I plan to go to New York soon. Xavier's called me out of my "retirement." How to explain it to the family, though, complicated. There are many factors in my life that led me to the decision to retire from the X-Men. I found the woman of my dreams and she loves me as I love her. What could be better? Nothing could pull me out of my "retirement" unless it's urgent, like Apacolypse is back again, or aliens are invading, or Magneto's gotten a hold of nuclear weapons or something like that. My life is perfect in every way. Except my son feels alienated because of his appearance as a result of the experiment.

I didn't really want to do it, considering the fact that no one had done it before. But it was necessary, to save a life what can you do? I never like experimentation on normal people, turning them into mutants. After all, these things happened to me once, and I never want anyone to experiment on me again.

I actually think I'll take them to New York. Maybe then I'll have the guts to tell Gar and Marie everything. Then Gar could go to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, and I could deal with whatever it is that Xavier's bother to call me up for. Yeah, that'll work, and everything will be perfect.

How am I going to tell him, who knows? When the time's right, I'll do it. But time escapes me, and one day it's going to run out. And hopefully, I'll still be alive when it does. It stand at the window, looking at them. They're so happy, yet they have no idea how much they mean to me. If I lose them, I'll lose it. My santiy will be quite gone if anything happens to either of them. Of course, Xavier would be there and try to help me as best he could. If I suffer another loss I know I'll lose whatever sanity I have.

I'll hang onto what I love most...because I have no idea when it may be ripped away from me....


	2. Chapter One: The Accident

**Chapter One: The "Accident" **

Logan awoke from another nightmare. A jumble of a hundred voices speaking to him, some shouting, some pleading or begging their faces, mainly, those of several women, all of them were dead or murdered, because of him, but he couldn't remember their names or how he knew them. He just knew they were dead, and it was because of him, one way or another.

Opening his eyes, he blinked a way the horrific dreams, reminding himself that he wasn't "Logan" anymore, he was just Mark Logan, genetic scientist and father to a boy who was a marvel to the local tribes in Lumumba.

He quietly kissed a sleeping Marie Logan on her forehead and he slipped on a pair of pants and heading outside to get some fresh air. Perhaps a few moments mediation would help him cast the muddled images from his mind.

Why was this happening now? Just when his life had set itself right, the memories he couldn't understand began rearing their ugly heads, taunting him with the past he so desperately sought to regain.

He fumbled in his pockets, looking for his scarce and precious cigarettes. He'd brought back a generous supply from the states, much to Marie's disapproval, but at least she'd forced him to stop drinking. He hadn't touched a beer in years.

"I'm not going to have an alcoholic for a husband Gar's not going to have an alcoholic for a father," she'd said sternly. He'd taken her seriously on the subject, but that didn't mean he didn't sneak a drink once in awhile. He really wished he could have one now, but then he'd be in _really _big trouble.

Maybe he should go to New York to visit Professor Xavier. The telepathic psychic seemed to understand his mind better than most, perhaps he could explain what was happening to him.

Logan inhaled the tobacco taste and exhaled. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a good idea. He hadn't been back to the States on Furlough in over a year, and the rainy season was coming and that wasn't going to help his research at all. He could also consult Henry "Hank" McCoy on Gar's mutation that had given him green skin and bestowed on him the ability to transform himself into any animal on earth.

"Mark, are you awake?" Marie's voice asked behind him.

Logan hastily shoved the lit end of the cigarette butt into his hand, flinching as he felt the embers sear his flesh. He didn't care though; it would be healed in minutes.

"Yeah honey, but don't worry about me," he reassured her. "I'll be fine."

"What have you been thinking about?" she asked.

"I was thinking….we haven't been back to the States for quite some time, and the rainy season's coming. I would like to go see a friend, Professor Xavier. I told you about him; I have some findings I want to discuss with him."

"That's sounds good to me, I've been homesick too. It'll be good for Gar to go back to the States, I'm sure he'll be very excited."

"We should leave today, those are rainclouds forming," Logan stared up at the sky. He'd always known how to read and predict the weather. It was something that had helped him survive when he'd wandered through the Canadian wilderness over the long years of his life, most of which, he couldn't remember.

He took his wife in his arms and kissed her passionately. "I love you. Now go wake up Gar. We need to leave before it gets really bad."

Marie woke her young son and they began eating breakfast.

"Listen son, we're all going back to the States until it stops raining around here," Mark smiled. Gar's eyes lit up.

"Really, where are we going?" Gar asked.

"West Chester, New York," his father told him. "Daddy has friends he has to visit."

"Okay," Gar said excitedly. He finished his breakfast in a hurry. Logan had told him they had to get out of there before the rains flooded the campsite. Packing their belongings into the small boat, they began heading down the river.

The river began moving faster as the current rose higher and higher. Logan was concentrating on steering the boat when his instincts told him that they were in danger. At first, he thought it had to do with the rushing river and the strong current.

Then Logan heard it. A snap of a twig. He knew that it was not an animal that had made that noise. Whoever it was, was a human. Logan began sniffing the wind. There was a scent, it too, belonged to a human, but he didn't know who it was.

"Gar, I want you to turn into a bird and fly away from here," he instructed his son. Gar and Marie stared at him in surprise.

"Mark, what's going on?" she asked, worried by her husband's sudden change in behavior.

"I'll explain later, just trust me!" Logan watched his son take off just as he spotted a man standing several feet away on the other side of the shore. The man was dressed in black and had a brown mask over his face. The thing that Logan would never forget about this man was the most telling feature he possessed. He only had one eye.

Slade saw that Logan had spotted him, smiling evilly; he detonated the bomb he had placed on the bottom of the boat.

Logon saw Slade press the button. He turned to his wife, determined to warn her to get away before she was killed by the ensuing explosion.

"Marie!" Logan flew out of the boat and into the water. Logan tried to reach his wife as she hit the water, but shrapnel flew out and smashed into his head, rendering him unconscious as his body began to sink to the bottom of the river.

Utter feelings of despair filled him. Once again his life was repeating the spiral of death that seemed to follow him no matter where he went or what he did. He always lost the ones he was close to. Fate seemed to enjoy making him its preverbal piñata. Fate just loved to make him suffer didn't she? Logan closed his eyes and resided himself to the death he had searched for all his life. Maybe he'd be at peace at last…

* * *

Logan slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Professor Xavier staring at him from next to his bed in his wheelchair.

"Welcome back, Logan," he smiled. "You've been through quite a lot. I was watching you and sent Kurt to get you from the bottom of the river."

"Thank the elf for me all right…wait…where's Marie and Gar?"

"Logan, I'm sorry. I'm afraid your wife is dead," Xavier told him heavily.

"And Gar?"

"I haven't been able to find him. Kurt didn't see him down at the bottom of the river, so I assume he's still alive."

"That's good news, I told him to get out of there before something bad happened. Then the boat exploded. This wasn't an accident," Logan said, "Someone tried to kill me."

"I know, I tried to find him, but he knows how to block my telepathy."

"I think I know who it is, Slade, Deathstroke the mercenary. I thought I saw him when we were moving downstream." Logan said. Xavier actually raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Why would he be after you?" Xavier asked, curious.

"I'm not sure, but he'll go after anyone if he's paid enough."

"Listen Logan, I'll do whatever I can to help you—"

"Don't worry, Professor. I'll handle this myself. I'm going to find the man who did this to my family," Logan unsheathed his claws, "and I'm going to make him pay."

If Fate wouldn't let him die, maybe it would lead him to find his wife's killer. Once again, destiny was toying with him. Taking away the people he loved and leaving his broken life with only one purpose: revenge.

Vengeance, it was the one motivation that had kept him going all his life. Unfortunately for those who had destroyed the people he loved, he didn't spare them from his unstoppable, unquenchable wrath. Now he had another person to avenge, another person to hunt.

He would do what he did best. He was Weapon X, a killing machine. And kill, he would. He would kill the person who had destroyed his family and he wouldn't stop until the one-eyed who had murdered his family was dead at his feet.


	3. Chapter Two: Flesh & Blood Family

_Chapter Three: Flesh & Blood Family_

It was a bright, warm, sunny day in Jump City. Titans Tower gleamed in the sunshine and the day was quite unexciting. Robin was busily going over his latest Slade lead. So far, he thought he had a sighting. But still, no sign. Slade was laying low for awhile.

"Hey guys, do you mind if I join you?" Robin asked Cyborg who was playing videogames. "Hey, Beast Boy's not with you? He loves videogames. Where is he?"

"Don't know, Robin. That is kinda weird. He's been surprisingly qiet. Strange, huh?" Cyborg looked at him. Robin nodded.

"It is strange," Robin mused, "Beast Boy's usually loud and obnoxious. Something _is _wrong with him." Robin got up, "I think I'll go look for him."

"Okay," Cyborg replied. "Don't take all day, though, I plan on beating you the next round."

Robin walked off. Wandering around the outside of the Tower. Robin found Beast Boy in the last place he'd expect, the waterfall. Raven spent a lot of time there meditating, but Beast Boy rarely went there at all. Robin walked up to his green friend, putting a hand on his shoulder he looked at him. "Beast Boy, are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just not a good day today," he replied.

"Why?" Robin asked, concerned.

"Today, seven years ago, my parents died in a boating accident." His gaze held a distant look. "And I could have saved them, I know I could have. It's all my fault they died. I didn't react fast enough."

"Why haven't you told us before?" Robin asked. "We could have helped you."

"You wouldn't understand, Robin." Beast Boy got up, sighing. "You don't know what it's like to lose someone and know that you could have done something about it."

"Beast Boy, I _do _understand what that's like," Robin retorted. "I lost my parents when they were murdered and I didn't have the chance to warn them. I know how you feel so don't talk to me about guilt!" Beast Boy stared at him in shock. He didn't know a lot about Robin's background, he hadn't ever thought to ask him about it. Looking into his masked eyes, a moment of understanding passed silently between them.

"Robin...I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about me," Robin answered him quietly. The alarm sounded. "Trouble!" he shouted, "It's Slade, come on!" Soon, the rest of the Titans joined them. They headed straight for the location of where he'd been sighted, Jump City's prison.

* * *

Arriving quickly, they took in the situation. Cinderblock had broken out of jail for what seemed like the millionth time and the Titans were there to stop him. Again. "Looks like we'll have to do it the hard way, huh Cinderblock?" Robin asked sarcastically. The giant robot made no reply and charged head on.

"Ready for the Sonic Boom?" Cyborg asked.

"You bet, let's do this!" Charging up the sides of the wall, Robin unleashed is freeze discs while Cyborg blasted Cinderblock with his laser cannon. To their shocked horror, Cinderblock dodged it. "He's gotten smarter," Robin observed.

"Or just lucky," Cyborg added.

Starfire began blasting him with her lasers. Still, all their attacks seemed useless for whether by increased skills, intelligence, or pure luck, he seemed to dodge everything they threw at him. Raven decided she had had enough of it. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" Summoning her powers she hurled broken pieces of the wall at him with incredible speed, still he dodged and blocked them! Grabbing Raven unexpectedly, he hurled her into a wall.

Beast Boy morphed into a giant T-Rex and charged in. Grabbing Cinderblock by his metalic neck he intended to throw him back into a wall but it never happend. Cinderblock grabbed Beast Boy and hurled him to the floor, smashing metalic fists into his face. He screamed from the unexpected pain. The Titans desperately attacked him in order save their friend, but their efforts seemed futile.

"Good. Good. Cinderblock, bring Beast Boy to me," Slade's voice ordered from the darkness. Robin, for one was shocked at the order, due to the fact that Slade had always wanted him to be his Apprentice. He had always shown little or no interest in the other Titans.

Cinderblock grabbed a very limp Beast Boy and dragged him over to Slade. The Titans followed quickly. "Let him go, Slade!" Robin shouted.

"Oh, hardly, Robin. My business is with him, not with you."

Suddenly, Slade threw out a smoke bomb causing a large cloud of gas to cloud around him, hiding him from the Titans gazes. By the time the smoke cleared, he was long gone. Robin was very concerned for their missing friend. "Come on, guys. Let's split up so we can search for Beast Boy."

Robin went with Starfire, Cyborg with Raven. They had no idea where their friend was, or what Slade had planned for him.

* * *

Beast Boy woke up in Slade's hideout dizzy and sore. "Good, you're awake." Slade's voice spoke from the darkness.

"What do you want with me?" Beast Boy demanded, unafraid, for the moment.

"I've been biding my time so I could get my hands on you, you ignorant fool," came Slade's menacing reply.

"Why?"

"Because you are important to me. As a means to an end."

"What end?"

"A job," was all the answer that Slade would give him.

One of Slade's giant screens lit up, revealing a man wearing black leather, his face hidden in the shadows. "Yes, just as I planned. I was right. He's coming for you."

Beast Boy didn't say anything. He was trying to get a good look at the man's face. Still, he couldn't see his face very well, because he was so weak from his beating. "Hmm," Slade frowned. "I've lost him. Well, no matter. My plan is falling into place. By the time he gets here their won't be able to save you."

Suddenly, there was a loud crash as glass shattered. Beast Boy tried to move but he was chained to the wall and no matter how hard he tried, no matter how hard he struggled and morphed, he couldn't break out. Beast Boy's sensitive ears heard the running of footsteps and the animal like scream as the man in black leather charged into Slade. Beast Boy saw huge claws extend out of the man's hands as he slammed his fists into Slade's side. Slade staggered back, but he still stood.

"Hello...Wolverine, so good to see you again..." Slade said.

"Hello, bub, thought you could get away from me?" Wolverine asked.

"Hardly," Slade sneered. "In fact, I've been _waiting _for you to find me."

"You think I won't kill you right here on the spot. You _murdered _my wife and son, and they didn't do anything!"

"Oho," Slade snickered. "What makes you think that you're son is actually dead?"

"I saw him fly out of the boat! I saw him hit the water!" Wolverine roared, rage filled his voice.

Beast Boy who was very weak and barely conscious. His ears perked up when he heard the man called Wolverine mention a boating accident. Could it be possible? Could he hope beyond belief? His father was alive? He hadn't mentioned a name yet, but if it was possible that he was alive then he would do everything he could to help this man who maybe just _maybe _he might find the truth.

Wolverine suddenly started sniffing, he picked up the scent he knew very well. His son was indeed alive, and his wife's murderer stood between him and his son. "Where is he?" Wolverine demanded.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Mark Logan, or shall I say simply Logan, do you honestly think I'd lure you here just to let you get your precious little son away from me?"

Not being one to talk, Wolverine suddenly launched himself at Slade, claws ripping into armored plates, it grazed him lightly. Slade slammed his fist into Wolverine, taking the blow, he whirled around kicking Slade in his mid section. Slade flipped back and started punching him with reckless abandoned.

With the mention of the name Mark Logan, Beast Boy knew it was him. Struggling harder, he tried to break his chains. Wolverine somersaulted over Slade and smashed his adamantium claws into the chains, breaking them into small, useless pieces. "Come on kid, let's get you out of here."

Wolverine whirled back around to block a viscious blow towards his head. Ducking, he began slamming his claws into Slades stomach and sides. Slade screamed in pain as the claws tore through his armor into his flesh, drawing blood. Slade's last burst of effort had Wolverine blocking and punching to keept him at bay. Wolverine finally became extremely frustrated and then he flew into his Berzerker Rage. Screaming, he smashed his claws as hard as he could, causing Slade to colapse from blood loss and exhaustion.

Beast Boy was very weak, but he morphed into a bear and smashed his claws into Slade's masked face as he made one last effort to stand up. collapsing again, he felt his father's hands gripped his shoulder. "You okay, kid?" he asked.

"Dad, is it really you?" Beast Boy asked.

"Yeah son, it's me," Wolverine said. Beast Boy slipped back into unconsciousness as he father silently carried him out.

* * *

The Titans had searched all afternoon. Still, there was no sign of Beast Boy. Robin was really worried now, who knows what Slade was doing to him? Frustrated and angry, Robin slammed his fist into a wall. "Robin, there's nothing we can do," Cyborg said quietly.

"Let's go back to the Tower. We'll have to look again tomorrow," Robin said. The Titans walked silently back to the Tower. Arriving at Titans Island, they felt miserable. They felt like they had failed thier friend, and couldn't save him from Slade.

Suddenly, Robin stopped and stared. Standing at the door of the Tower was a man dressed in black leather. He was grim faced and very solemn. "He's alive," he told Robin, handing him to Cyborg, who began carrying him inside.

"Who are you?" Robin asked. He didn't know who this man was, and why he would help Beast Boy.

"My name is Mark Logan. Call me Logan or Wolverine. It doesn't matter." He gestured to Beast Boy's limp body, "Gar is my son."

"Beast Boy...is your son?" Robin asked. "He told me that his parents died in a boating accident."

"I survived and I came back just in time." Wolverine looked at the Titans. "Can you help him?'

"I don't think I can," Robin replied. "Raven, can you heal him?"

"Yes," she replied. Robin, Starfire, Raven, and Wolverine followed Robin into the Tower. Beast Boy was alive. But how long would he stay that way? Raven stared suspiciously at this stranger. Who was he and how could he claim to be Beast Boy's father? She didn't exactly trust him. She still had lots of questions for this man as she followed her friens into the Tower.


	4. Chapter Three: Where've you Been?

_Chapter Three: Where've You Been?_

Beast Boy lay on the couch, still very weak but recovering nicely because of Raven's healing powers. She'd spent an hour using her powers to help his body knit itself back together. Still, his recover was slow due to his serious injuries. All the Titans had gathered around him, except for Robin, who was in the room where all his information on Slade was.

Standing nearby was Wolverine, or Mark Logan, as Beast Boy called him, was pacing up and down nervously. Beast Boy noticed his father take out a cigar and light it.

"Dad, I didn't know you smoked," he observed.

"There's lots of things you don't know about me, Gar," Logan said quietly, puffing on the cigar, smoke rising in the air.

"Why didn't you tell me you were a-"

"A mutant?" he seemed to spit out the word. "You didn't need to know."

"Well then if I didn't need to know, why'd you wait seven years before coming here to look for me? I mean, it would have been nice to have you around." Raven noticed a note of sarcasm mixed with a sad disappointment in his voice.

"Listen Gar," Logan looked somewhat exasperated. "I've been really busy."

"Oh, doing what?" Beast Boy asked sarcastically.

"Looking for the Terminator."

"Who?"

"That guy with one eye. What'd you guys call him, Slade. Yeah, that's his name. Slade."

"Where've you been all these years?" Boy kept the questions coming.

"Wait," Robin inturrupted, "You're looking for Slade? Why?" he demanded.

"I have some things to settle, that's all," Wolverine said quietly.

"Don't be smart with me, kid. I brought you into the world, and I can take you out." He glared. "If you reall must know what I've been doing I've been fighting off he Brotherhood of Mutants."

"The Brotherhood of Mutants?" Cyborg asked. "Who are they?"

"Long story, tell you later," came a sharp reply.

"I've also been...searching, if you must know," Logan sighed, turning away, he stared out the window.

"Searching? Searching for what?" Gar asked, curiousity peaking. His dad had never talked about his past. Although he begged him for stories of his past, he'd always said he was busy.

"My life," Logan explained quietly. "I don't really know who I am."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Beast Boy asked.

"My life is a puzzle with missing peices."

"What do you mean by 'missing peices?'"

"I've had amnesia," Logan said, "So memories...peices of my life are completely gone." He took another drag of his cigar. The Titans were mystified. Raven, however was still suspicious. How could she trust this man who had missing memories? What he'd said hadn't changed her opinion of him at all. In fact, she was even more suspicious of him than before. How could Beast Boy, or Gar as Logan called him, trust him so easily. She needed more proof than strange stories and a name that he called Beast Boy. SHe needed to talk to this man in private, away from Beast Boy.

"Dad...you never told me that metal claws came out of your hands." The Titans mouths dropped open. They'd never heard of such strange mutations before. Logan proved it was true when his claws shot out from his hands. Protruding from his fists they were razor sharp, and extremely deadly.

"The reason you never knew is because I never did it in front of you."

"No offense mister. You've said all these things and you sound legitimate. But I want _proof _you're Beast Boy's father," Raven spoke up. The Titans all stared at her. Beast Boy began glaring.

"Raven, how can you n_ot _believe him. He is my father. I recognize him!" Beast Boy shouted angrily.

"She's right you know," Cyborg agreed with Raven. "Beast Boy, you haven's seen your dad in seven years. You're memories could be kinda foggy."

"Why are you two against me all of a sudden?" Beast Boy jumped up, his hands balled into fists. "Don't you guys believe me at all?" He stormed out of the tower in an angry huff.

"I don't understand either why you both are so mistrusting of the Wolverine. He rescued friend Beast Boy from Slade. Isn't that enough to trust him."

"We trusted Terra and she was working for Slade," Raven retorted angrily. "I don't give my trust away easily."

"I have an idea," Robin spoke up suddenly. "Remember how when Larry came from the other dimension and we ran the DNA test on him?"

"Yeah?" Raven said waiting for him to continue.

"Well let's run a DNA test on Logan and Beast Boy." The Titans nodded. Robin looked at Wolverine. "You won't mind that will you?"

"No, if it'll convince you kids to believe me," Logan said. "Will someone go get the kid?"

"There's no need for that," Robin said, "I have all the Titans DNA just in case we'd need it for anything."

Raven got up, "I'm going to meditate. Do not bother me."

"After I give you kids my DNA, I'm going to find my son and talk to him."

Robin directed him over to the machine and asked for a siliva sample. Wolverine gavve it to him and walked out the door to go find Beast Boy. Robin began running tests. "Do you really believe him, Robin?" Cyborg asked.

"I don't know, Cyborg. It's just so strange that Beast Boy never talked to us about his dad."

"I believe his is his father," Starfire said quietly.

"Why do you believe him Star? He's mentally unstable!" Cyborg practically shouted.

"I just know he is good and that he is Beast Boy's father. They are alike and you, friend Cyborg have not noticed they both have the same kind of temper."

"Coincidence," Cyborg smirked.

"The DNA test is done, guys," Robin said as he, Starfire and Cyborg stared at the results.

"It's legit!" Cyborg exclaimed. "Unbelievable!" he pointed to the model on the screen. "Look at the chromosomes. You can see some of them are the same."

"So he's for real?" Robin asked in disbelief.

"He's for real," Cyborg said.


	5. Chapter Four: Mind's Eye

_Chapter Four: Mind's Eye_

Logan walked out of Titans Tower quietly looking around. He didn't see Beast Boy anywhere. Logan began sniffing, picking up his son's scent. Walking outside quickly, he began steadily tracking where his son was. Making his way toward a large waterfall, he saw his son at a distance, standing beside the base of the waterfall, skipping rocks into the water. His keen hearing picked up a conversation. He was talking to the Gothic girl, the one who was so suspicious of him.

"Raven, what's your problem with him? He's my father!" he shouted.

"How can you be so sure?" the girl called Raven shot back.

"Don't you trust me?" Beast Boy asked.

"I trust you, not him," she replied.

"Come on, Raven. You need to open up a little. I'd do you some good. You're so closed off from everyone that you won't even trust my dad! And he's on our side!"

"You want the truth Beast Boy?" Raven asked, anger filtered into her voice. "I don't trust this man, and I don't believe he's your father, and I _can't _just 'open up' to people because my emotions are dangerous!"

"Well, you don't have to be so heartless towards everyone!" Beast Boy's anger was evident now.

"How can you call me heartless? I can't help being this way!"

"Yes, you could. You could try to feel for once."

Raven got up from her sitting position. "I'm sorry, Beast Boy. I _can'_t feel. Even if I wanted to." She walked away, leaving Beast Boy to glare at the sky. Picking up a rock, he hurled it into the water

"She can be so-"

"Confusing?" Logan asked quietly. Beast Boy jumped and turned around to see his dad watching him. "Dad, I didn't know you were here."

"Oh, I've been here for quite a bit kid. So what was that all about?"

"Oh, it's Raven. She's so mistrusting. I don't understand her. She should trust you, you're on our side...and more importantly, you're my father."

"Why's that so important to you, kid?" Logan asked, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Because...I want her to trust me...and you. She doesn't really turst anyone. She's a telekenetic and her emotions control her powers. I want to help her feel something. She has to be unemotional because if she is, her dad'll get lose and try to use her to take over the world. But I still think she should be able to use_ some_ of her emotions. I don't know, I just want her to..."

"Love you like you love her?" Logan asked.

"How do you know that?" Gar asked, surprised.

"Well, I could tell by the way you argued with her," Logan smiled quietly. "I wonder if it runs in the family."

"What does?"

"Oh, that you and I have both fallen in love with telikenetic telepaths."

"Who was she? Is she dead?"

"Her name is Jean Summers. She's not dead but she's married to a man named Scott Summers."

"Why didn't she marry you?"

"She was already engaged to Scott when I came along."

"Rats."

"So your girlfriend doesn't trust me, eh?"

"She's not exactly my girlfriend. And she doesn't trust you, either."

"I see. Gar, who's Terra?"

"Terra? Why do you wanna know?"

"Because Raven keeps talking about this Terra and I wanna know what she's talkin' about."

Terra was...well, troubled, to put it that way. She couldn't control her powers that she had. She betrayed us to Slade and exploited our weaknesses. I...I loved her dad, and I didn't believe it when Slade told me that she was his Apprentice. It hurt us all, deeply. It especially hurt Raven because she's not one to open up to people. It's just hard for her to trust newcomers because of what happened...And I guess, you remind her of Terra."

"Because I can't control my powers that well? Or is it my temper?"

"Both, I'd say. These were Terra's characteristics and they were her downfall."

"She didn't have the Professor to help her," Logan sighed, "I wish I would have come sooner."

"The Professor?" Beast Boy asked. He didn't know who he was, but he must have been important or something. "Who's he?"

"That would be Professor Charles Francis Xavier," Logan replied. "He lives in New York and he has a School for the Gifted. For mutants. He teaches them how to control there powers and fight for humanity. Good ideals, that sort of thing. Now I wished I'd been here. So I could have taken her to Xavier before Slade got her."

"A school? For mutants? Do other people know about this place?"

"Oh, the school is merely a public face. This place has a lot more in it that just desks and classrooms." Logan gave a smile. "Maybe, after this whole deal's over, I'll take you, and your friends if they want, to New York and you can actually meet the Professor and see the place."

"Really? You'd take me to New York? Like you promised me...all those years agao?" Beast Boy's face lit up.

"Yeah, we'll go and take our little road trip. As soon as this is over." Logan pulled his son into a playful hug. "Now don't you go tellin' anybody yet. This'll be a special thing. Besides, if Slade finds out he might try to stop us."

"Okay," Beast Boy smiled. "I'm going back in the Tower." Beast Boy left Logan alone as he stood by the waterfall.

Pulling out his X-Men communicator, he punched in the codes. "Jubilee, Gambit, this is Logan. Do you hear me?"

"Loud an' clear, ol' buddy!" came Gambit's immediate reply.

"Listen, Cajun, need ya to come to a place called Jump City. You know where that is?"

"Yeah, just found it on the good ol' map here."

Jubilee's voice rang over the comm. "What do you need us for Wolverine?" she asked.

"I need you're fireworks, and Gambit's street smarts," came Logan's reply.

"Oh? What for?" Gambit asked.

"To track down an elusive psychopath. I have the help of my son-"

"Wait a second, you have a kid?" Jubilee asked.

"-Yeah, anyway, his friend's call themselves the Teen Titans and they've been tracking a man called Slade."

"Name sounds familiar," Gambit murmmered.

"Anyway, they can use all the help they can get, so I was hoping you both would be able to come."

"Does the Professor know you're there?"

"Yes."

"Alrgiht, we're on our way," Gambit signed out. Shutting off the communicator, Logan walked back into the Tower. IT was getting dark and he would turn in soon.

* * *

Raven couldn't sleep that night. Her dreams were filled with muddled voices and visions. She saw before her a strrange lab. She could see a man being lowered into a chamber filled with eerie green liquid. She saw another man with a long syringe filled with what looked like burning metal and heard the gargled screams as they injected it into his head. She couldn't make out the face very well, until the man jumped out of the chamber, screaming.

It was Wolverine and she didn't understand what was going on as she watched him run out the door. The images became fuzzy and then she stood in a long, dark hallway. She could see people. A boy and a girl, along with Wolverine, who was standing between them and an unseen person standing in the shadows. "You wanna shoot me? Then shoot me!"

"Don't shoot him! Not yet," came the voice. "Wolverine? How long's it been? 15 years? You haven't changed one bit."

"Who are you?" Wolverine screamed.

"Don't you remember?" the man asked.

The images became fuzzy again and another scene played itself before her eyes.

Wolverine was on a boat of some kind, she wasn't allowed to see who was on it with him because at that moment the boat was suddenly rocked with an explosion. "Marie!" Logan flew out of the boat and into the water. Logan tried to reach his wife as she hit the water, but shrapnel flew out and smashed into his head, rendering him unconscious as his body began to sink to the bottom of the river-

Logan snapped awake, sweating. He hated his dreams. Why should his past continually haunt him? He'd dealt with it already. He sighed, he'd never understand why it wouldn't leave him alone.

Raven, too snapped awake. This dream she'd had, had not involved any of her freinds, but a mysterious stranger. She realized that her empathic abilities had let her see what no one knew. She'd seen into his mind's eye and knew he held secrets that he'd kept from the Titans.


	6. Chapter Five: Revelations of the X Men

_Chapter Five: Revelations of the X-Men_

Raven woke up early as usual and went out onto the rooftop to meditate. It was something she had to do as a mandatory routine to maintain control of her powers. Sitting down she began to chant, "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos. Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She did this for a long while until it was time for breakfast

Logan awoke that morning groggy and weary, but he had other things on his mind. He needed to contact the X-Men so he could get backup for fighting Slade. He pulled out his communicator and punched in the code for Gambit and Jubilee's id and they picked up.

"Hey Cajun, you there?" he asked.

"Yep, what's up?" Gambit's voice came over loud and clear.

"You know where Jump City is?"

"Yep, it's right here on the map," Gambit said.

"What do you need us for, Wolverine?" Jubilee asked.

"I need your help taking down a psychopath. He killed my wife. My son and his friends—"

"Wolverine, you have a kid?" Jubilee asked in disbelief.

"Well, yeah, but the only one who knows is the professor. When can you guys get here?"

"We'll come immediately, ol' buddy. We'll be there in a few hours." Gambit replied.

"Good. I'll be waiting." He ended the transmission and waited for the rest of the Titans to wake up.

Walking in, she saw the others were awake, already preparing to eat. She joined them silently. She noticed Wolverine was up, but didn't say anything. They finished the meal in silence. Stacking their plates, Robin asked, "Who has cleanup duty?"

"That would be me," Beast Boy said, taking the stack of dishes, he took them over to the sink and put them in. The alarm suddenly blared.

"Titans, trouble!" Robin said.

"Guess, dishes duty will have to wait," Beast Boy muttered.

"Listen, Wolverine, when we get there, you follow my lead, alright?" Robin looked at the older adult, hoping he would listen to him.

"Listen, I don't take orders from kids like you. I'm gonna do this _my way,_" Wolverine shot back angrily.

"He's our leader and he let you stay in our house so you should play by _our_ rules," Raven interrupted. Wolverine gave her a death glare as Starfire stepped in between the three fuming superheroes.

"Friend Robin, Friend Wolverine, this is not he time to fight. I suggest that we go and see what he trouble is."

Robin looked at him, "We'll settle this later." They left the Tower and arrived in the city. Terrion, which was a combination of Plasmas, Cinderblock and Overload, stood in the street, hurling a speeding car out of his path. Raven quickly used her powers to catch the car and set it upright away from the danger.

"So Ternion, are you gonna come quietly, or are we gonna have to do this the hard way?" Robin smirked.

The hybrid monster roared a response, Logan smirked. "You people waste your breath, I'm taking him now!" He let his claws come out and he rushed Ternion with blinding speed.

"Wolverine, no!" Robin shouted, "Titans, go!" he ordered as his friends rushed to aid wolverine, who slashed hard at the monster, ripping a gash in its slimy, metallic hide. Roaring, he staggered back as he blasted Wolverine with slime and muck.

"Ugh, that stuff smells like crap!" Wolverine shouted as he once again charged in. "Bub, you're gonna pay for that!" he dodged more attacks from Ternion as Starfire rose into the air and blasted it with Starbolts.

Cyborg fired his Sonic Cannon, but it was little use as it did not even penetrate Ternion's thick metal armor. Raven hurled streetlights and stop signs at the creature, wrapping it in her dark aura.

Beast Boy morphed into a Rhino and charged into the fray, Ternion picked him up and threw him across the street, morphing into a pterodactyl and swooped in to attack. Suddenly, a great blast of electricity smashed into Ternion causing him to stagger back in surprise.

Raven saw a man holding a deck of burning playing cards and a woman with a yellow trench coat running towards them. The man with a brown trench coat hurled the fiery cards into Ternion. The man looked at Wolverine, grinning.

"Are we late?" the girl asked him.

"No, you're right on time," Wolverine replied. "Cajun, give me all ya got!"

"You sure? I have a whole deck here," he pulled out a deck of playing cards from a coat pocket.

"Let him have 'em all, Gambit," Wolverine ordered.

The man Wolverine called Gambit stepped forward, pulling all the cards from the deck he held them in his hands as they burst into flames, he hurled them at Ternion with all his might as the girl with him unleashed a barrage of electricity at him.

Robin gave the war cry of "Titans, go!" and they all leapt into the fray. Ternion had barely recovered from the attack by Jubilee and Gambit as Robin jumped on his back and planted an electro disk in him.

"Raven, get ready, everyone else, stay next to us," Robin ordered as Wolverine was joined by the two newcomers. Raven surrounded them with her aura as a loud explosion shook the buildings.

"Not a bad bit of work, Cajun," Wolverine complemented as he surveyed a defeated Ternion. "Not bad at all."

"Who are these people?" Raven demanded. She didn't trust strangers easily, and she barely knew Wolverine as it was.

"Teen Titans, meet the X-Men. This is Gambit and Jubilee, they're friends of mine. I've called them here to help me battle Slade. They've helped me through a lot of things in my life. In fact, I'm the third in command."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?" Beast Boy asked.

"We don't exactly want people to know who we are," Wolverine replied. "Unlike you, Gar, we're not at the top of the popular pole."

"Come on, let's get back to the Tower," Robin said, "then Wolverine can explain everything there."

They began walking back. What else did this man have to hide from them? Raven wasn't sure if she wanted to trust him. She did want answers and she wanted them now. Quickening her pace, she kept in stride with them; she was going to get the answers she needed.


	7. Chapter Six: An Old Friend

_Chapter Six: An Old Friend_

_**Quick Sticky:** Happy new year! God bless you all! I have writer's block on my AFTERMATH CHRONICLES sereies right now so enjoy this becuase I finlly added a chapter to this one!_

Raven sudden reached out and stopped Logan by grabbing his shoulder. "Who are these people and why are they here?" She stared suspiciously at Jubilee and Gambit. Logan gave her an angry look as his eyes met hers.

"Listen kid, they're on your side. They're the good guys alright?" he replied in a frustrated tone. "They came here to help me battle Slade."

"Why should we just accept help from complete strangers like you?" Raven demanded. Beast Boy and the others stared. What _was _her problem? Why could she understand that any help taking down Slade should be welcomed, not mistrusted.

"We aren't complete strangers Raven," Wolverine said tensely.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Raven shot back.

"I've seen you before. In the dimension of Limbo," Wolverine explained. Raven took a step back. Shock hit her like a blow. No, she couldn't have seen him before, she would have remembered him if she had. He was one you couldn't forget easily.

"You don't remember, do you?" Wolverine asked. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Well I do, and the Professor does. But it seems you've forgotten."

"But…" Raven began slowly. "I've never seen you before." She tried to think of a time when she might have seen him on Azarath, for Azarath was located in the detention of Limbo. But try as she might, she couldn't remember having ever seen him there before.

Beast Boy stepped forward. "Dad, what do you mean you've seen her before?"

"It took place when she was 13. Trigon, her father tried to claim her as his own and use her to take over the world. The Professor-"

"Wait a second," Robin interrupted. "Who is this Professor?"

"Charles Xavier," he was a…acquaintance of mine." Wolverine looked at Raven as he explained. "Chuck's known about you for sometime kid. I'm surprised he didn't take you to the school."

"What school?" Starfire asked.

"It's a school for people like us. For mutants," Gambit explained. "It's a place where students learn to control their powers."

"Dad, get on with the story," Beast Boy said impatiently.

"Okay, okay," Wolverine said hastily. "Anyway, this Trigon tried to take over Raven. As a defense mechanism she unleashed her soul self on him. She managed to hold him off for awhile but he managed to knock her out."

"Couldn't she fight him?" Robin asked.

"Dude, have you _seen _the size of Raven's dad? He's huge!" Beast Boy asked. Robin shook his head.

"That's where I came in, the professor had Nightcrawler teleport me through dementions to Limbo to help her when he heard her telepathic call for help. And I came. I fought him for what seemed like for ever. I'd show you the scars kid, but they've healed up as they always do. The reason I think you don't remember is because Nightcrawler woke you up-"

"Who is this Nightcrawler?" Starfire asked. The name itself made her uncomfortable.

"He's a mutant who has the ability to teleport himself where he wants to go," Jubilee explained. "He's a friend of Logan's and I think it's time we call him here."

"He's still at the school?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, maybe we should bring in Rogue and Kitty too," Gambit suggested.

"Good idea, Cajun. Call them up!"

Gambit used a communicator to signal Nightcrawler. He answered immediately. "Hello, vhat do you vant?"

"Listen, Kurt. We need you to teleport yourself, Rogue and Kitty to Jump City," Gambit told him.

"Vhy?"

"We need your help. And tell the Professor where you're going too."

"Alright," Nightcrawler replied. "I vill be there vhen I can get there." He ended the conversation.

"Well, he's on his way," Gambit said. "Who knows, maybe the Professor will send the Jet."

"Dude, your Professor has _Jets _at this school?" Beast Boy asked. His dad had told him there was more to this place than just a school, but this was a lot more than he had expected.

"Yes, we have a jet. Can I get back to my story?" Wolverine asked, gathering the shreds of patience that he was trying to maintain.

"Sure," Robin said. "Go on."

"And after we made sure you were awake, Nightcrawler and I left so fast that you didn't see me-"

A high piercing shout of, "_Let me go!_" was heard and Logan turned his head, looking around, he began to run at full tilt suddenly leaving the Titans behind him. Robin bolted after him, followed by Beast Boy, Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, Gambit and Jubilee.

"What is it?" Robin shouted.

"We'll find out soon enough!" Logan replied. Running into the alleyway, Beast Boy saw a shocking sight. A woman was struggling with two men. There were trying to hold her back as one man pulled out a cruel looking knife.

"Angela Roth, you will die for your treachery!" he shouted and raised the blade to strike.

"But what did I ever do to you?" Angela demanded. "It's not my fault!"

"It doesn't matter if it was your fault or not. Brother Blood doesn't like it when members just up and leave like you did." Angela Roth said nothing in reply. She just glared at her attackers.

"Of course, it was surprising that our Master wanted _you _as his bride. There were others, they would have eagerly went with him only you refused."

"Yeah, and got raped! If I'd known that was going to happen I wouldn't have joined your stupid cult."

"Oh, of course you didn't know that was going to happen did you?" the man asked.

"Don't you see what she's doing?" the other man asked. "She's stalling for time! Destroy her, now!"

He wasn't fast enough however, for an enraged Wolverine had buried his claws into his torso, killing him instantly. The two other men threw the woman away as Raven rushed to her side.

Robin hurled his Bird-a-Rangs into them and one of them hit the ground. The other was quickly dispatched by Starfire who blasted him with starbolts, rendering him unconscious.

The rest of the Titans gathered around the woman as she tried to catch her breath."Hey Angela, are you alright?" Wolverine bent down to the woman as she looked up at him.

"Mother, you know him?" Raven asked in shock. The Titans looked at her in surprise. This woman was her mother?

"Yes, Raven," Angela replied, looking intently at Raven. "He's an old friend."


	8. Chapter Seven: Past Lives

**Chapter Seven: Past Lives**

**_Quick Sticky: This story is officially off hiatus! Yay! _**_Lots and lots of fighting in this chappie! Whee! Wolvie's berserker rage coming out yippie! And by the way, I don't believe in meditation or _chakras._ I believe in angels and demons though._

"An old friend, what do you mean he's an old friend? Why didn't you tell me about him?"

"Whoa, your mom knows my dad?" Beast Boy shook his head. "Can we get back home? I'm gonna need a long, long explanation for all this."

"You're not the only one," Raven agreed. "I want to know what this is all about and why we should trust these people." They quietly made their way back to Titans Tower. In the living room they sat on the circular couch.

"So where do I start?" Mark Logan frowned.

"How about fifteen years ago, back when I first met you, when I ran away from home," Angela, Arella Roth suggested quietly.

"I remember that," Mark Logan said quietly. He began to tell the Titans about the time he had first met Arella, back when she was called Angela Roth...

"_Hey kid, you need a lift," Logan said as he sat on the side of the road in his truck/trailer, cigar in mouth as he stared out at the empty road. There wasn't much to see on the outskirts of Gotham City. Which was where the young seventeen year old seemed to be headed, she looked up at him, and then she turned away. _

"_I'm not interested. I can walk there," she mumbled loud enough for him to hear._

"_I won't hurt you, kid. I ain't that type. Come on, I'll give you a lift. Gotham's a long way where you're headed."_

"_How do I know you're not going to hurt me? she looked at him suspiciously._

"_Like I said, I ain't that type. Where you headed?"_

"_None of your business," she snapped. I'm running away if you wanna know."_

"_I see." Logan puffed on his cigar. "Bad life huh?"_

"_You could say that," she replied._

"_What's your name kid?"_

"_Angela Roth."_

"_Logan."_

"_You live in Gotham?"_

"_I used to. So Mr. Logan what are you doing here?"_

"_Not much, just passing through."_

"_Oh. You like to travel?"_

"_You could say that. I might hang around Gotham for awhile. Who knows?"_

"_I see." They drove into Gotham City. It was getting late at night and there was a hotel open. _

"_Come on in, kid. I'll get you a room."_

"_No, you hardly know me; I can't let you do that."_

"_So what? You barely know me," Logan climbed out of his truck. "Besides, I don't feel like sleeping in that crappy trailer tonight. I'm getting a room. Do you want one or not."_

_Angela shrugged her shoulders and followed him. He paid for her room and she walked down the hallway with him. "Why'd you do that for me?" she asked._

"_Well, let's just say I know what it's like to wander around for a long time."_

"_So where do you live?"_

"_New York. You better get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning?"_

"_I don't know."_

"_Well, it was nice to meet you kid." He began to walk away._

"_Mr. Logan." He stopped and turned back to her._

"_Yeah, kid?"_

"_Thanks."_

"_You're welcome." _

_Logan checked into his room and pulled out a communicator. He signaled the X-Men. "Xavier." He waited for an answer._

"_Yes? Logan is that you?"_

"_Yes, why did you want me to come to this hellhole they call Gotham anyway?"_

"_You must infiltrate the Church of Blood. The cult is known to be dangerous and they are prone to violence. We're trying to crack down on them here in New York. They don't exactly like my ideals."_

"_Why would they not like you? You're hardly religious or anything."_

"_True, but I have a following and they hate me for it. I fear what they would cause young people to do. I fear for the safety of both mutants and humans who fall into their hands."_

"_I see. Well, I'll get on it right away." He ended the communication. He sighed and sat down on the bed. He had to wonder about the girl, Angela Roth. He didn't know anything about her. Why he had been inclined to help her, he didn't know._

_The Next Day…_

_Logan awoke and went out to see if there was anything to eat in the lobby. He didn't see Angela Roth anywhere. Curious and a little worried he walked up the front desk. "Ms. Angela Roth, have you seen her? She was with me."_

"_I'm sorry, Sir, Ms. Angela Roth checked out earlier this morning." The man answered him as he typed information into the computer. _

"_Did she say when she'd be back?"_

"_Yes, she said she would be back later this evening," the man replied._

"_Are you sure she said she'd be back?" Logan asked._

"_Hmm, well if you see her again tell her Mr. Logan said he was looking for her." He turned around. "I'll be back later tonight so keep my room for me."_

"_I will Mr. Logan," the man said and returned to his work. Logan walked outside and began strolling through the city. He began looking around, taking in the sights. Gotham City was hardly quiet; let alone peaceful. Logan had vaguely heard the stories about the legendary vigilante the Batman, but he'd never paid much attention to him. He had his own problems in New York._

_He frowned, trying to think of where she could have gone. He began scanning the faces of the passersby, looking closely at each face. He wondered where she could have gone. Angela couldn't have gone far, she was on foot and he knew she probably didn't feel like going too far anyway._

_He spotted a large building with people coming in and out of it. He frowned and decided to take a peek inside. Walking in, he saw the building was filled with young people, mainly teenagers, milling about and talking._

"_So, what is this place? he asked._

"_This is the Church of Blood," the young boy replied._

"_Well, that's interesting," Logan replied as the boy walked away. "This is the place I need to infiltrate."_

"_Logan! This is a surprise! What are you doing here?" Angela Roth asked as he spotted her talking to a young man in a robe. He looked like a priest or something._

"_Do you know who leads this group of crazy people?" he asked Angela._

"_There not crazy Logan…they actually accept me. I feel welcome here."_

"_I feel more welcome in a bar than I do in here. Listen kid, I don't think that—"_

"_Hello, sir, are you searching for someone?"_

"_Maybe, and who might you be?" he asked the robed man politely._

"_I am Brother Sebastian, but my followers call me Brother Blood."_

"_I see. I'm James Logan," Logan replied. People call me Logan though."_

"_Well, Mr. Logan, do you search for truth?"_

"_Depends on what you mean by 'truth'." Logan was suspicious already. _

"_Oh, the truth that we are the chosen ones who will cleanse the earth of impurity, bringing the thousand years of peace."_

"_Right," Logan letting the sarcasm show in his voice._

"_I must be going Mr. Logan; I have to speak to my followers." Brother Blood walked away._

_Walking away, Logan turned his head to watch him. Brother Blood was a crazy man. He knew it already from the conversation. "What kind of crap was that? 'Cleanse the earth from impurity'. Well, mister," Logan muttered under his breath, "you can take your kooky beliefs and shove them up your—"_

"_Logan? Are you okay? What do you think of Brother Blood?" Angela interrupted his conversation with himself _

"_Stay away from Brother Blood as well as these people kid, they're up to no good."_

"_They don't seem bad. I think I might stay awhile."_

"_Have it your way, but just to warn ya, I'm gonna stick around."_

"_Why would you do that? I thought you didn't like these people."_

"_I don't. I just wanna make sure you're okay."_

"_Thanks."_

_Two Months Later…_

"_Why should you care? You're not my father!" she shouted angrily. _

"_I ain't but that doesn't mean that I can tell ya what to do, but I don't like these people. Stay away from them!"_

"_It doesn't matter what you say!" Angela Roth shouted, turning on her heel she stomped away. _

"_Kid, I've put up with those kooky meetings for two months! They're dangerous fanatics and it's not safe for you to keep going there!"_

"_They're not fanatics! They speak the truth and you know it."_

"_The truth? I'm hardly religious but I know that's not the truth. It's a load of crap!" He heard the door to his room shut with a **bang**. He heard the door to his apartment slam loudly. Logan had rented two apartments where they lived separately for two months. Angela had found a job at a café and Logan claimed he had business in Gotham that gave him steady income. In truth, all his funds came from Xavier, who covered his tracks so no one knew exactly where the money came from._

_Logan sighed in frustration. He knew right where she was going. They were probably having one of their 'meetings' that night._

_Time had changed Angela Roth. No longer did she seem shy and suspicious of others. Now she had a self confidence she claimed came from her new 'church'. Logan knew that it was hardly a church that she had joined, but a dangerous cult bent on world domination._

_In order to infiltrate the Church of Blood he had accompanied Angela to the meetings. He managed to ignore all the nonsensical mumbo jumbo that Brother Blood talked about. Instead he had carefully kept surveillance on the other "church activities," that included hypnosis, brain washing, and experimentation on humans to give them "superpowers", in other words, creating new mutants to fight for their cause._

_He had reported it all back to Xavier and now he knew what he had to do. He had to convince Angela to leave the church somehow. He didn't know how it would work though, because he had seen what happened to former members who had "left the faith". They usually ended up dead. They had shot down one of them after he had tried to convince others to leave. He knew he had to get her out of there before they found out who he was. _

_He spotted Angela as she turned a corner. She disappeared into the building. He swiftly followed; he knew right where the building was. He slipped into the crowd. He began to slowly make his way up towards the front. He saw Angela Roth chanting some strange words he couldn't make out. _

_Logan saw a great swirling vortex, like a whirlpool, opening up in the center of the room. "I definitely don't like this." _

_He saw something or someone, step out of the rise up from the earth. "At last Lucifer, or master has come to us!"_

"_I knew it!" He swore angry expletives as he began pushing his way towards the front. "I knew these guys were bad news! They're a cult and they want to take over the world!" He began pushing his way out. He hoped none of the fanatical members had managed to hear his outburst. Suddenly he felt a hand grab his shoulder. _

"_Logan?" he turned. It was Angela Roth. "What are you doing here?"_

_He turned around to face her. "I'm getting you out of here!"_

"_I can't leave! I summoned him here!"_

"_YOU WHAT!"_

_The being who she had 'summoned', looked at her. Logan stared. Whoever it was, he didn't know. He didn't like it at all. He had a feeling it wasn't even human._

"_You summoned me, Mortal?" he asked Angela._

"_Yes, master."_

_She was calling this 'thing', MASTER! He couldn't believe it! She'd been sucked into this cult for so long, she actually believed it! He had to do something to stop her._

"_Come with me, then, for I have chose **you **for my own special purpose," the golden eyed being said to Angela, looking straight at her. She did as she was told. Logan grabbed her shoulder, stopping her._

"_Don't go kid, I don't like it. Something's wrong here."_

"_There's nothing wrong here, Logan. **You're **the one who's wrong! I'll be fine."_

"_Listen kid, I don't want you to go with him!" He felt his shoulder being grabbed and felt himself being forced backwards away from her. _

"_She must obey the master!" Brother Blood shouted. "Restrain him! He's not one of us!"_

"_Logan?" Angela asked, fearful, but before she could say another word Logan saw a blinding light and in a split second, a portal opened and she was whisked through it._

"_WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?! WHERE IS SHE?!"_

_The crazed followers swarmed Logan; those armed with weapons were trying to strike him. He dodged and ducked fierce blows as he slashed the weapons to pieces as they tried to harm him. Guard after guard fell dead as he continued slowly making his way towards his main goal: Brother Blood._

_Wolverine slammed his claws into a man's chest, ripping them out he leapt high, somersaulting over one as a man tried to fire a machine gun at him. He grabbed the man in front of him and used him a shield from the bullets aimed at him. The man dropped dead. Dozens and dozens of Blood's followers' bodies were strewn about the 'church' as the masses had long since scattered. _

_He pounced on Brother Blood punching him hard. He drove his claws into his torso. "Where is she?"_

"_Our master," Brother Blood gagged out, "has taken her away for his own purposes." He kept wheezing for air as Wolverine pressed harder._

"_What purpose would that be, Bub?!"_

"_To fulfill the Prophesy, our master needs an heir," he explained._

"_You mean he's going to rape her!" Wolverine roared._

"_Our master does as he pleases!"_

"_Even at the expense of a young girl's purity? She's only a child! She's seventeen! She's not even an adult!"_

"_Her fate is none of our concern; she will not die if that's what you wish to know."_

"_Open the portal!"_

"_What?!"_

"_I said open the portal! Whatever you had her do to bring him here, do it for me or I will kill you!"_

"_Fine, as you wish." Brother Blood conceded. He used his powers to open a portal in the middle of the floor. _

"_I'll be back for you, Bub. Mark my words." Logan stepped through the portal._

"_You won't be coming back, fool. Our master shall annihilate you." Brother Blood smiled. "I will not be responsible for your death. He will deal with you."_

_Wolverine tumbled through the portal, he hit the ground hard. Grunting he rose to his feet. Looking around, he tried to figure out where that 'thing' had taken Angela Roth. He saw a building that looked like a castle, a fortress of some kind. She had to be there. _

_He began running towards the building as fast as his feet could carry him. He passed by a dozen people who gawked at him in unexplained horror. "Hey, stranger, why are you headed that way?"_

"_Have you seen a seventeen year old with violet eyes pass this way with a man with gold eyes?" _

_The man nodded. "Where are they?" He pointed up at the place he was heading towards._

"_But if you go, you will be destroyed," the man whispered. "I cannot say or even think more. He will know if I do." Logan nodded. He began to run as the man turned and ran away as if an army were chasing him._

"_So whoever this guy is, he can read minds. Kinda like Xavier, gonna have to be very cautious now." He came to a halt at a steep embankment; it was a moat, like the ones in all those medieval pictures he had seen in textbooks. _

_The moat was very wide. He'd have to swim across. Logan growled in frustration, every second he wasted, something horrible was happening to the girl. He sprinted quickly and dove into the freezing cold water. The splash alerted the sentries to his presence. _

_Logan used his agility to avoid strange energy blasts that the sentries shot out to try and stop him. He gasped for air as he rose to the surface. He climbed out, he vaulted over energy blasts and began scaling the walls of the fortress. Using his claws he created handholds for himself as he used his feet to hoist himself up. _

_Flipping onto the top of the wall, he unsheathed his claws and attacked the first guard he spotted. The creature roared in his face and sent a great sphere of dark energy at him. Logan leapt back and launched himself, claws extended, he hit the creature full force, plunging three deadly, razor sharp claws through the body and it dropped dead. Looking down at it, he realized that these creatures weren't human, they were demons._

_Granted, Logan wasn't the type to believe in the supernatural. But having seen what went on in that so called 'church' and what Kurt had said so long ago about there being two sides to the supernatural world, one good, one evil; Logan had to admit that Kurt was right._

_Another creature came at him. Logan didn't even think about what he was doing. He just attacked with his instincts, using his acquired knowledge and skills to defeat his opponents. He used their momentum against them as he slashed at one. He leapt out of the way of an energy blast, letting it smash into an oncoming guard as he plunged his claws into their thick hides. _

_One by one they began to fall until there were none left standing on the wall. He vaulted off the wall and headed into the courtyard. It was empty and abandoned. He sniffed, he knew Angela Roth's scent and his ears perked as he heard a distant but frightened scream. He charged down into a vast hallway, listening for anything. Her voice, a sign that she was still alive, he needed to know that she was alive._

_He heard another scream, this time it was a horror filled scream, filled with fear. "How could I be so stupid? No! No! Don't do this to me, please! Aaah! Stop, please! No!" He knew what that thing was doing to her. It was raping her, and he could hear her screaming in pain and fear._

_Logan began to run, he tried to keep his footsteps silent so her attacker wouldn't hear him. "Damn me for being such a fool. What have I done?" Angela's voice came to him closer now. He saw a doorway partially ajar. He had found her. With all his fury, he kicked the door wide open. What he saw was something he would remember in the worst of his nightmares._

"_My G…!" he couldn't bring himself to finish his exclamation. What he saw was horrific beyond words. And having been a soldier, he had seen horrific things before, but nothing like this. His friend was pinned down on the floor, sobbing and struggling. The thing on top of her was indeed a demon, but he was far more terrifying than the ones Logan had fought earlier on the wall._

_Letting out a roar of pure rage, Logan launched himself at the thing. To his horror, the demon simply looked at him with his four eyes and a powerful laser blast emitted from them knocking him off his feet. He flew back into the wall. _

_The thing got off Angela and she huddled on the floor too afraid to move. "Who are you to challenge the almighty Trigon the Terrible?" he demanded. It stood to his feet and Logan was shocked by the mere size of him. He was at least 20 feet tall. How was he going to get out of this one?_

_Logan's answer was to leap to his feet and slash out at Trigon with his claws. Reaching out a clawed hand he grabbed Logan by his throat and squeezed. Logan buried his claws into the creature's skin. Howling in pain the demon dropped him. He began slashing and hacking at its knees. _

_He was again knocked off his feet by an energy blast. The thing slashed out at him. He tried to dodge out of the way but he didn't quite make it. Trigon had meant to slash his throat but he missed. Instead he took out Logan's left eye. He cried out in pain as he was slammed mercilessly into a wall, painful energy ripping through his body._

"_You see scum, what happens to those who resist me? I will destroy this pathetic insect and you will watch him die! Then you shall go back to your pathetic dimension. Skies will burn, flesh will be turned to stone. The sun shall set on your world. Never to rise again…Never to rise again." Trigon finished grandly. "And it's all because of you." _

"_What could she possibly do? She's only a kid?" Logan spat out angrily._

"_Her? No, not that weak pathetic mortal. My offspring which she will bring forth shall accomplish these things."_

_Logan took advantage of the monster's distracted state and attacked him with everything he had. He just kept going and going until the creature suddenly dropped him. Grabbing Angela he quickly leapt through the portal. To his shock, Trigon did not follow. The portal shut and Angela burst into tears._

_Logan removed his coat and wrapped it about her shoulders. "I'm right here kid. I'm right here."_

"_I'm sorry Logan, I'm so sorry."_

"_It's not your fault kid; it's not your fault."_

"_Damn me for a fool. I'm so sorry!" She continued to sob on his shoulder. He held her tight and only faintly did he register the pouring rain on the road where they had landed. He barely registered the blood pouring out of the socket where his left eye had been. He didn't feel any pain inflicted from the wounds that even his natural abilities would take time to mend. He didn't feel anything at all. Except a deep sense of regret and guilt. He was also sorry; he had promised himself he would take care of her. And he had failed miserably. _

_Two Weeks Later…_

"_Angela? Hey kid, where are you?" She had been depressed for two weeks. He couldn't get her to eat. She didn't sleep, and if she did she had nightmares about what Trigon did to her. Logan too, had nightmares, but he didn't talk about them. He just drank more. _

_He also smoked more too. He had contacted Professor Xavier and told him what had happened. He had tried to convince him to bring Angela to the school where she would be safe, but he didn't think she was ready. _

_She had become worse and worse as the days went on. He had caught her trying to slit her wrists. He'd hidden the knives. Then she had tried to OD on pain pills and he had taken her to the infirmary._

_He knew if she was depressed and suicidal, he would have to stop her before she harmed herself or her child. He rushed out of the house. He headed towards the bridge where he had a feeling she would be. He ran to the bridge and saw her preparing to jump off. He grabbed her from behind and pulled her back._

"_What are you doing Logan?! Let me die! I want to die!" she shouted angrily. "I have nothing to live for. I'm lost, alone, and pregnant! I don't need your help!"_

"_You don't know you're pregnant kid," he said gently._

"_Trigon said so."_

"_And you believe that thing?"_

"_I'm not sure. I can't raise a kid."_

"_I don't know how to help you kid."_

"_But we can," a voice said. They both turned. There was a man, who was dressed in strange clothes and he had a quiet manner about him. At first Logan thought he was one of the culties from the Church of Blood, but he was different somehow. He couldn't quite place what it was._

"_Who are you?" Angela Roth asked._

"_I am a messenger of Azar." The man replied simply. "She can help the child inside of you to control her powers."_

"_Her?" Angela asked. "You mean it's a girl." The man nodded._

"_How do I know you can help my friend?" Logan demanded. He wasn't going to let the past repeat itself again._

"_Come with me. I will show you what I mean."_

"_Who are you?" Angela asked._

"_I am Coman, High Magistrate of Azarath," the man apparently named Coman replied._

"_Azarath?"_

"_We left earth to pursue our pacifist ways when the people of earth rejected many of our followers." Coman explained. He opened a portal and he bid them to go through_

_They arrived in a strange dimension and he lead them to a large temple. Following Coman, Logan looked around the strange temple. It was unlike anything he had seen before. A woman was standing facing an altar. "I have found them o Azar."_

"_That is good." The woman's voice was quiet and soft. "Are you the one they call Angela Roth?"_

"_Yes I am."_

"_You have been brought here to recover from your experience. We here on Azarath believe that we can help you."_

"_Can you really do that?"_

"_I can if you will let me. Gayla!" A woman stepped forward. "Please escort Arella to the place I have prepared for her." The woman nodded._

_Angela Roth turned to her. "What did you call me?"_

"_Arella, it means 'messenger angel.' You have been sent to us for a reason." Logan watched as Angela disappeared. _

"_Will she be alright?" Logan asked Azar._

"_Coman brought her here for a reason, the daughter Angela Roth is a very powerful force and if she learns to control her powers she will use them for good."_

"_You know about her father?"_

"_He who we do not name, the one you called the child's father? Yes we know of him."_

"_Will she be safe here?"_

"_Only time will tell, Ancient One. Only time will tell."_

"_Ancient One?" Logan asked puzzled._

"_You are one who has walked the dimension of earth many lifetimes of men. We know of you but have never made contact with you since my Grandfather, the first Azar's time."_

"_Did I meet him?"_

"_Perhaps but you knew him under another name in your dimension." She didn't say anything more. "You must go back to your own place."_

"_Will I see her again?"_

"_Only time will tell, Ancient One. Before you go, I give you this," She handed him a strange object, like a _chakra_. "May this bring you inner peace in your mind and soul." _

"_Thank you." He watched as Azar opened a portal and he stepped through._

"Well kid, that was fifteen years ago. I hadn't seen Angela Roth, Arella as Raven calls her, since until today."

"That was a mouthful," Beast Boy said.

"Well kid, I need to go smoke."

"Dad, why do you need—?" Arella cut him off as Logan walked out the door.

"Let him alone, friend. I know your father. Give him a smoke and a can of beer he'll be fine. This story has brought up a lot of things we both wish to forget."

"So Raven; do you trust him now?"

"I'm not sure if I do, but I'm just trying to understand all this," was all Raven said in reply as she stared out the window. This man's connections to her were startling. She was wondering what it all meant, and what this would do to her future, and her secret affections for Beast Boy…


	9. Chapter Eight: The Weary Souls

_Chapter Nine: The Weary Souls_

_**Author's Note: **I've taken the characters from X-Men: The Animated Series and I've combined them with stuff that did happen in the comics. A lot of the conversation between Nightcrawler and Wolverine was written by comic writing genius Greg Rucka: Wolverine Vol. 3. #6, so a lot of the dialogue belongs to him._

* * *

Logan let out a sigh as he felt the night breeze caress his face. The day's events had brought back a flood of memories. Arella…Angela…she'd gotten older, perhaps a little wiser in her years than the child he remembered. It seemed like yesterday that he was giving her a ride so she wouldn't have to walk the dangerous streets of Gotham City.

No longer was she the hurt, depressed, troubled girl who desperately sought acceptance from others. Now she was a mature, if not traumatized victim of horrific act that happened far too often to too many women. Except unlike most women, she knew her offspring would be destined to a terrible purpose. He admired her for not aborting the baby and accepting help from the monks of Azarath.

He'd not seen her for 15 years. She'd changed so much. But still, there was something about her…something Logan couldn't quite pin down. He could see her in his mind's eye, her face haggard and older than her 32 years. Could one so young seem so much older? Her slight figure clothed in white robes, her expression solemn and quiet.

He remembered reaching for her hand after he had killed one of the men who had tried to murder her for leaving the Church of Blood. Her touch had felt soft and warm. To see her safe had made him feel…lighter emotionally.

He'd missed a woman's touch. It had been so long since…No. No. He shouldn't think like that. She was still so young. In his mind she was still that young teenage girl he was trying to protect. And yet...at the same time, she wasn't. She was a woman now...a beautiful, attractive young woman when he thought about it…

"No…I shouldn't….shouldn't think about her that way. She's too young…she's still vulnerable…but I don't understand why I feel this way…Ah, forget it," he pulled out a cigarette and a lighter. Where was the Elf when he needed a priest for a confession? He'd have to settle for a smoke.

Logan pulled his communicator out from inside his pocket. He punched in the codes for Nightcrawler and waited for the blue-skinned priest to pick up.

"Nightcrawler here. Vho is this?" he asked with his thick German accent.

"It's Logan, Elf. You on your way?" he asked.

"Of course, my friend, I shall be there shortly," Kurt said.

"You should be here by now," Logan muttered.

"I vould, but ve're flying the jet instead of teleporting there."

"I see. Oh, and one more thing, Elf," Logan added.

'Vhat vould that be Logan?" he asked.

"Bring me some beer, cans or a keg would be nice," he told the mutant.

"I'll bring you two dozen cans and a keg. Vould you like me to bring a pitcher?" he asked.

"Sounds good to me," Logan agreed.

Logan ended the communication and continued smoking his cigarette.

His hyper-sensitive ears heard the footsteps coming up the stairs of the roof of Titans Tower. His keen sense of smell alerted him that it was Beast Boy, Gar. Apparently, his son was worried about him. He turned around to regard him, taking the cigarette out of his mouth.

"I've been expecting you, kid," he said.

"Why didn't you come looking for me?" Beast Boy's voice asked.

"It's not that I didn't try, son. I searched for you in Tawaba's village, but they told me that some people from the U.S. came and took you away. I did my best to track you down. Took me a few years but I found out that scientist Dayton had adopted you. I would have come to get you, but then I discovered where that creep Deathstroke was holed up, so I decided to pay him a visit. Somehow he got wind that I was lookin' for him and he went underground. I promised myself I wouldn't come see you until I'd settled the score between him an' me. Guess I just got lucky findin' you and him in the same place."

"I guess," Beast Boy shrugged. "Deathstroke…you're talking about Slade right?"

"Yeah, Deathstroke's his mercenary alias. How come you've never heard it?"

"Well, Robin and Slade are kinda rivals. He keeps trying to take over this city and Robin keeps trying to stop him, with our help too," Gar added as an afterthought.

"He goes by first name basis with Robin huh? Guess he must really hate his guts," Logan inhaled more tobacco from his cigarette. He exhaled, watching the wisps of smoke rise into the air and disappear.

"Yeah, but I thought he hated everybody," Beast Boy observed, walking over to his father.

"If you're going to ask me if you can smoke, the answer is "No". I can because I'm old enough and my body can regenerate. You're too young and you can't so it's final."

'Er…but I've never seen you smoke before," Beast Boy said.

"Your mom wouldn't let me do it in front of you," he told him. "Said it'd be a bad influence. But I only smoked when you were away or asleep."

"I see. You wanna come inside?" We're all getting ready to eat."

"Sure thing, kid," Logan followed Gar inside. He just had to wonder how long it would be before Kurt arrived with his much needed beer.

* * *

"Wait, I think I've heard of this Professor Xavier Wolverine mentioned," Cyborg said. "My Dad talked about him once. Said he was a mutants' rights activist. I think he's a professor in genetics and physics too."

"He's also a very powerful mutant," Jubilee added.

"That makes sense," Robin agreed. "Why else would he be a mutant activist if he wasn't one himself?"

"Well kid, if everyone was as sharp as you, we'd all be in trouble," Gambit, Remy LeBeau remarked.

"So what kind of superpower do you have?" Jubilee asked Robin. The question took him off guard. No one had ever asked him about it before.

He looked at her. "I don't have superpowers."

She was startled. "No superpowers, and yet you're the leader."

"If you know anything about Robin, you know who his mentor was," Cyborg answered her remark.

"Batman, the Dark Knight," Jubilee said. "I heard a lot of stories about him when I was growing up. How come people like him are admired as heroes while mutants are treated like dirt?"

"I'm not sure, but it's a really messed up world out there," Robin smiled. "It'll get better. You'll see."

"Remy highly doubts that," Remy muttered to himself. "You guys don't know how lucky y'all are. Fancy Tower; hailed as heroes by the press. Everybody's scared of us. Calls us 'freaks of nature'." He decided to change the subject. "Anyone up for Blackjack?"

"I'm in, but no betting," Jubilee said, eager to get off the subjects of mutants and politics.

Raven wasn't interested in their conversation and was busy making herself some herbal tea when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Care to pour me a cup, kid?" Logan asked. She was startled, but hid it well.

"Sure," she replied. She poured Logan a cup of herbal tea. He took it from her without a word. At least this would hold him over until Kurt got there with his beer.

He looked up as Angela Roth entered the kitchen. Logan looked up at her, Gar noticed he was smiling.

"Huh?" Gar asked quizzically.

"You want some tea, Angela? Or are ya just gonna stand there and stare at me all day?"

Raven was startled at how flippant Logan's behavior was towards her mother, but to her own surprise, her mother didn't seem to mind. She returned his smile and sat down across from him.

"No, of course I'll join you." Raven went and got her mother a cup of herbal tea.

"How's your eye, Logan?" Angela asked.

"It's fully healed, but I had to wear a glass eye for awhile. So how are you? After all you've been through, I'm glad to see you're okay."

"So…are you…seeing anyone?" Logan asked quietly. Angela was surprised by the question. She didn't get that one often from a lot of people, especially people like him.

"No…and you?" if he was going to ask her about that part of her life, then she deserved to know about that part of his life.

"I haven't dated anyone since my wife was murdered…unfortunately," he sighed; sipping his tea, his mind still wished it was beer instead of tea.

Raven handed her mother a cup of tea as Cyborg walked into the room and said, "There's a large aircraft hovering near the Tower roof, some lady named Kitty says Wolverine gave her these coordinates."

"That's them, he's finally here!" Logan said. "It's about time!"

"What's so important about all of them?" Beast Boy asked.

"Father Kurt brought me my answer to my prayers," Logan told him.

"What would the answer to your prayers be, Logan?" Angela asked in a slightly amused voice, knowing full well what she _hadn't_ seen her old friend doing. Raven and Beast Boy looked at one another, not understanding what they both were talking about.

"My keg and two dozen cans of ice cold beer!" Logan proclaimed triumphantly.

Both Raven's and Beast Boy's jaws dropped to the carpet as their eyes' about exploded out of their heads.

"Dad since when did you drink?" Beast Boy asked.

"I've drank all my life. When your mother and I married, she made me stop. Ever since she died well…" he shrugged. "Let's just say it helps."

"Then I'll allow that plane to land, even if it has beer," Cyborg said.

"Yeah, I got friends on that plane," Logan said. He traveled up to the roof.

Angela, Arella Roth watched him go. Seeing him again had brought back so many memories. He'd protected her, been there for her; he'd been a father figure to her. And yet she hadn't seen him for what he was, a good caring man who had wanted to help her. And now…he was very much the same man…but there was something about him that drew her to him. He wasn't what anyone would call "drop dead gorgeous" nor was he one of those men that a girl could look at and say that he was dashingly handsome at a first glance. Logan wasn't meant to strike you with how good looking he was, what attracted women to him was his caring nature and his good heart.

Not that he _wasn't_ a striking, good looking man, his looks only added to what attracted her to him. Her daughter Raven had gone to greet these friends of Logan's, to see what kind of people he spent his time with, leaving Angela alone with her thoughts.

She had tried to dismiss it when she'd seen him again. There was an undeniable physical attraction to him. She couldn't place her finger on what she felt. These emotions were all new to her. On Azarath, the monks taught that peace and tranquility were achieved when one controlled their emotions. Following their teachings, she had suppressed hers, believing that men would only seek her attention to manipulate her for their own purposes, she had learned this the hard way with Trigon.

But with Logan, it was different. She knew him, she knew he'd never do anything to hurt her, and now…these feelings and desires filled her with confusion and uncertainty. What was she supposed to do around him, especially since she shouldn't feel this way about someone who was much older than her, despite the fact that he didn't _look _too much older than she was?

What were these feelings? Love? Lust? Both? She wanted to say that she loved him, that her emotions leaned toward the former, not the latter. She didn't think she was capable of feeling such a dangerous emotion. Lust was a truly frightening feeling, one she tried at all costs to avoid.

Angela Roth let out a very confused sigh. "Where's a priest when you needed one for a confession?"

Didn't two weary souls deserve to have something for themselves, even if it was only for a short time?

* * *

Kurt Wagner, Rogue and Kitty Pryde all made their way down the exit ramp.

"It's nice to see you all made it here safely," Logan greeted them with a smile.

"Ah, you just wanted Kurt to get here with your beer," Rogue laughed. "So who're all these people?"

Robin stepped forward. "I'm Robin. This is Starfire, Raven, Cyborg and Beast Boy. We're the Teen Titans."

"Pleasure to meet all of you," Rogue said. "Beast Boy…You're Wolverine's kid, ain't ya?"

"Yes Ma'am," he replied.

"Please, just call me, Rogue, sugar. Everybody does," Rogue laughed.

"Would one of you guys be able to show me where I can put my stuff?" Kitty asked.

"Sure, just follow me," Cyborg said. "So what kind of power do you have anyway?"

"Me? I can walk through walls…" their voices trailed off as they left the rooftop.

Kurt smiled at Logan as he handed him the beer.

"I brought you what you wanted, my son," Kurt said, feigning a pious tone of voice.

"Why thank you, Father, that's just what I had hoped for," Logan replied. The two men stared at each other, and burst out laughing.

"Come on in, Elf. I'll pour you a drink!" Logan said. They both made their way back inside Titans' Tower.

* * *

Raven looked over in surprise as Kurt Wagner; she hadn't really noticed him before. He looked too normal. She thought he was with Rogue and Kitty because he was some kind of mutant. Logan had referred to him as "Father Kurt". Apparently, he was a priest of some sort, probably Catholic. They were known to drink once in awhile.

Raven saw Logan sit down at the table and Kurt put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't even think about touching me unless you're gonna look like yourself when you're doing it, Elf," Logan said. The other Titans were surprised; Kurt was wearing a holographic generator? Why?

"I'm not certain that's the best idea, my friend. You know how people react to my appearance," he glanced around at the others, nervous.

"Don't worry, my son's a green shape-shifter, we have one alien, a human Cyborg and a half demon. They won't care how you look."

"A half demon, that's…" Kurt never finished his sentence.

"There you go Elf, no more excuses."

Kurt pushed a button in his belt and turned off the holographic generator. Raven was very surprised at Kurt's appearance. He was blue-skinned and had three fingers on each hand and a tail, along with a pair of yellow eyes that reminded her of her father.

"Better?" Kurt asked.

"Better than you having to hide yourself, but it's a start," Logan looked at him. "Actually Kurt, I have something I wanted to talk to you about," Logan sighed.

"Vhat's that?" Nightcrawler asked.

"Oh, nothing, never mind," he muttered.

"You're in a mood," Kurt observed.

"Has nothing to do with it, Kurt," Logan muttered as he opened up the keg of beer and poured it into the pitcher his friend had brought him.

"No, of course not."

"You gonna just stand there," Logan asked, gesturing to the seat next to him.

Logan poured Kurt a glass.

Kurt raised his cup in a toast. "To Peter," he said.

"To absent friends," Logan added.

They both drank their beer. Raven decided she wasn't interested in their conversation and turned her attention to her herbal tea and the book she was reading.

"Hey, you Dudes want some peanuts?" Gar asked, plopping down a bowl full of shelled peanuts.

"Thank you," Kurt smiled. "You must be Beast Boy. Your father has told me much about you."

"Er thanks," Beast Boy said. He sat down away from them and watched them drink. He'd never seen his father interact with other mutants before. He didn't even know his father _was _a mutant."Did I tell you I'd seen Katchen?"

"You told me..."

"-Maybe three, four months ago? She's doing vell, going to school in Chicago. She called me, thought she's seen Peter—"

"Peter's _dead_," Logan interrupted, emphasizing the word _dead_. Kitty's here now, so you can tell her about Peter yourself..."

"Yes, that's _vhy_ she called me. She thought she had seen him, as I said—"

Kurt noticed Logan wasn't really listening and he changed the subject.

"Vhat happened?" Kurt inquired.

"Nothing happened," Logan said shortly.

"Certainly _something_ did. You're even more unpleasant than _normal_. And you could use a _shower_, I might add."

"You don't think I don't_ know_ how I _smell_?" Logan asked; his voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Self-loathing does not become you Logan," Kurt told him.

"This from the guy who _hides_ his_ face_," he shot back.

"Vhat was her name? " Kurt asked. Logan stopped drinking. Arella looked up from her tea. What were they talking about? Who was this "her" they were discussing?

"What?" Logan asked, repeating the first part of his friend's question.

"The girl who _died_. The one _you_ couldn't _save_. What was her name?"

"Lucy. Lucy Braddock. She was _seventeen_, Kurt. Not any older than Angela when I first met her…"

Angela noted the comparison. She wondered if Lucy Braddock had gotten involved in a cult. She also noted that Kurt said that Lucy had died and that Logan hadn't been able to save her. She decided to move over to where they were sitting.

"Have a seat kid. I noted you perked up when I mentioned your name. I'm sure you wanna know what this kid's got to do with you."

"Is it vorking?" the beer?" Nightcrawler asked. "It must be hard to punishing yourself when your healing factor fights you every inch of the vay."

Logan regarded him. "You have no idea."

"Yet here you are doing your best impression of a fish." Kurt watched Logan as he continued drinking his beer. "We have both seen innocents suffer, my friend. We have both seen the inhumanity of man to his fellow man."

"Why is Lucy Braddock so important that you dive three days without rest to meet me here, and to engage attempt to torture your liver?"

Logan poured himself another drink. "Seventeen is too young, I agree. Seventy, some would say, is too young, as well. We have both seen too much death, lost too many we have cared for. But trite as it is to say, Logan, death is a part of life, even _unnatural _death, even, perhaps, _murder_."

Logan all but slammed his glass on the table. "_Not _murder."

"You think? I do not advocate it, of course, but I would point out that every Judeo-Christian religion has murder in the basic text. Cain slew Abel and thus, the world knew murder. One could argue that _murder_ is as natural as dying of _old age_."

Robin, who'd been listening long enough to get the gist of the conversation, spoke up. "You can't seriously believe that, can you?" He stared at Nightcrawler, waiting for his answer.

Logan agreed with Robin, "You don't _really _believe that."

"I am longer sure vhat to believe, my friend. My grasp of ethological and theological theory is slipping, to say the least. As a result, I am forced more often than not to rely on the facts as I know them."

Kurt paused for a moment. "Actions always speak louder than words. You know better than most. You actions have always marked you, to me, as a good man. An honorable man."

Everyone in the kitchen came to a dead stop as these eight words left Logan's mouth:

"Three days ago, I killed twenty-seven men."


End file.
